Wow....what a year...

So

Very 

Grateful

2013 

is 

over.

It was simply one of the most difficult years we've had to endure.

Things are looking up though.

But, first...

Someone stole my other blog when I was cleaning up after the flood.

Remember

Not Yo Mommas Handbag?

named for my Etsy shop?

Created by me to chronicle the making of my 

Handbags?

Yes,

well, someone stole it.

Now if you go to the old site, 

there is one post

months old

of a vacation somewhere.

Not mine.

So, here is my new 

blog for the shop,

(which will be re-opened as soon as we move)

http://ellensnotyomommashandbag.blogspot.com

Hopefully, 

I can hold on to this one....

smiles!

SO looking forward to Thanksgiving....

truly....

I have realized that I love Thanksgiving more than 

any other holiday.....

Presidents' Day, 

Veterans Day,

Memorial Day,

Forth of July,

they all choke me up...

Valentines Day

speaks for itself,

also,

it was the day 

that I had my very first "date" with my sweetie....

Easter,

Christmas,

all religious holidays

make me feel 

blessed....

BUT,

Thanksgiving,

whose only purpose is to 

give us an opportunity 

to show 

GRATITUDE!!!

Now that's my sort of holiday.....

Eat lots of turkey,

get stuffed,

sit back watch football with the family....

Who couldn't be grateful for that?

Also,

while fixing all the goodies,

I think about how very blessed we are in the

United States of America.

Thank Goodness for those
brave souls that
fought to hold us together as a country.

Men and women that established
towns, churches, fellowships,
communities...

Men and women that explored the west....

All people who put the greater good in front of their own needs,
or opinions....

Freedom

no,

make

that 

FREEDOM

Freedom to

love,

disagree,

travel,

work,

play,

create,

repair,

we are truly a fortunate people.

I am no "pie-in-the-sky" optimist,

no,
I tend more toward the cynical point of view.

But Thanksgiving that's a no brainer!
Good food,
Good Company,
Good times,
smiles!

Snow Day! and a new love.....

I have a new love.....

an obsessive love....

one that transends time and space....

an unexpected love....

I love talented people,

and 

often 

I find

that women seldom 

gain the recognition that they deserve....

I found Vivian Maier

through a link on Etsy.

A wonderful article telling an interesting tale

of film and negatives, 

lost

and 

found....

a mystery if you like.

I am appreciative of the fact that today 

is a certified "snow day" here in my town,

and the DOT

has asked us to stay home,

if we don't have good reason to drive.

I have good reason to stay home....

and admire the work of a 

woman,

gone

but no longer

forgotten......

smiles

And, they had to ask....

Do you suffer from Delusional Holiday Gift Sewing?

The magazine

Vogue Patterns

asks.....

Now let me set the record absolutely straight....

I am not an accomplished seamstress.

I am not an enthusiastic sewer even....

I always pray before putting the presser foot down....

especially lately.

My sweet baboo spent an extended business trip in 

Shanghai recently.

On previous trips,

he asked what I might like....

I said pearls.

He brought me 

earrings,

necklace(s),

and a ring!

Whew!

I love them all 

and frankly, am a bit 

humbled that he would

go to so much trouble,

and expense.

So,

as he was packing for this trip,

he asked again,

"What can I bring you?"

I was prepared this time.

I said that I would love some silk fabric,

so that I could make a blouse.

He came back with the most luxurious fabric you could ever imagine.

And his business partner mentioned how expensive it was.....

Yipes!

So, you see.....

when I sat down to pick a pattern for this fabric,

I was especially cognizant of the difficulty of each 

option.

I have completed 2 out of the three patterns I chose.

(They are being completed by a monkey with 12 thumbs,...me.)

My eyesight is in transition,

(menopause)

and thus, 

I can hardly thread the needle.

So,

back to the 

"Question From Vogue Magazine"...

the answer is 

YES!

I apparently got all cocky....

big-headed....

looney....

(you get the picture),

because I started to plan to make all 

of my Christmas gifts.....

Handbags for girlfriends,

scarfs for others,

felt phone covers for guys,

hats for others,

laptop protectors for some,

and simple stockings for others.....

What am I thinking?

It is November 8th for Pete's Sake!

Guess I should be grateful that a magazine 

brought me back down to earth....

Now, I wonder where that glue gun is?

smiles....

Coming off a "pink cloud".....

yep.....

slowly coming back down to earth.

The last couple of days have been

a whirlwind of excitement.

Here is why.

That is one of my 

Not Yo Mommas Handbags!

Several months ago,

a very sweet young lady contacted me and 

asked if I would be willing to have one of 

my photos appear in a Gap ad......

Yeah, right....I thought.

Well, as things developed, I realized that 

this was for real.

Yipes!

How excited was I to see this!

You can enter a cool contest

HERE...

smiles.

A giveaway......Big Smiles.....!

Some of you know...

and some don't.

I have an Etsy shop,

and

 I am an Etsy addict.....

I love to peruse the pages of Etsy

looking for inspiration,

gifts, decor ideas,

you name it...

So I was very flattered when 

Anne at magalerie

asked if I would like to participate in a 

GIVEAWAY!

Oh yeah!

you betcha......smiles

Here are some of my favorite images from magalerie

The elegant simplicity 

and simple, clean structure

grabs my attention each time.

Here's how it works.

Go to her shop

magalerie

purchase an image,

and as you make your purchase,

leave her a message

first telling her that you found out about this 

from Not Yo Mommas Handbag, 

(My shop)

and then, which 

image you would like for FREE.

That's right 

Buy One Get One for free....

(same size)

Seems to me that this is an easy way to 

get started on Christmas gifts.

Even if they are for yourself...

smiles.

A Red Letter Day!

First,

let me just say that I cannot 

believe that I have had 

300 posts to this blog....

OMG!

where did I find the time....

maybe all that laundry...
maybe the dust bunnies...
maybe the letters not written..
anyway,
I just glanced at my dashboard and
noticed that the 3-0-0 had
shown up.
wow...

Second,

I am please to say that 

my lovely TWO-color

Brother typewriter,

(that's black ink  AND  RED ink!)

has been included in a 

FUN

Etsy treasury today

called 

"Red White and"

assembled by

TrendyFabric.

TrendyFabric 

carries 

some unique, colorful fabric

that you should check out....

right after you see the treasury...

smiles.