Beach Glass Bags at the Beach

Summer on Lake Erie can be short.  After the grueling winter and very cold and wet spring, we have had a sluggish start to summer.  That, and the economy, can lead to a lot of boats on dry dock. (I've always considered it best to KNOW someone with a boat...)

 

But now I can safely say that summer has begun.  I have had my first trip to the beach to enjoy one of my favorite summer pastimes:  hunting for beach glass treasures.

This particular beach is a nature preserve where swimming is not allowed.  We bike about a mile down to the beach, which is quite long.  There is plenty of rocks amidst the sand to search for treasures.

That one's a beauty, isn't it?

So is that one!

You would think that long walks on the beach would lead to inspiration. It refreshes me to have the wind in my hair and the sound of the waves pounding on the shore. But, un-romantically, inspiration usually hits me when I'm in the shower. And these little bags were an inspiration to fill a practical need: stashing all my little beach finds.

We have always  put our beach glass in our pockets or a small bag that Annie would bring.  But since I have been so "enmeshed" in "mesh" lately, I had the idea that a small mesh bag that clips on my belt or string bikini (yeah, right) would be perfectly practical.  Add a pretty little border fabric and I've gone from oversized to mini beach bags!

This mini drawstring bag is designed to hang just right so you can slip your hand in to it. If you are done collecting, pull the drawstring to cinch up the fabric. Pick up a little sand with those stones? Simply dunk the bag in the water.

What a perfect way to keep your treasures safe. And don't limit yourself to beach treasures. This bag would be perfect for any little things your heart desires to stash - acorns, leaves, toys.

There are currently four styles available in: blue batik, blue and white stripe, polka dot and pink.

Would you like to WIN one?  Head on over to my friend akaCinders blog for a giveaway!

I Heart Macro

A very inspiring blog and artist, Studio Waterstone, hosts a weekly "I Heart Macro" linkup.  I found the perfect photo yesterday.  Summer officially started for me yesterday - I went to the beach to search for glass!  Here's what I found:

The Daddy and Baby Next Door

The sweetest little boy entered the world not too long ago!  We are so thrilled for our neighbors!  They will be fantastic parents.  He had a little longer stay in the hospital than anticipated, but he is home now and everyone is making it through this foggy first month of baby- and parenthood!

We celebrated in ways big and small, but for a number of reasons, I knew that this baby needed a "Daddy Quilt." 

You've heard me talk about these young neighbors of ours.  They are fun-loving and always include us "old" folks!  Not to mention they have a great selection of wines! They spoil us and our kids rotten!

The new "Daddy" has quite a T Shirt collection. He loves his sports, but also picks up some crazy shirts at thrift shops.  Then, when he thins out the herd, he passes them along to my husband, who wears them for all his messy house and yard work!

Upon learning of the new addition to their family, I immediately felt a Daddy Quilt was in order.  Mom-to-be gathered up as many shirts as she could from the thrift pile and then I raided my husband's hand-me-down stash to collect nine shirts.  I selected the fabric combination from this quilt kit because I thought the brown would go well with the orange and brown hues of some of the shirts.

The simple swiss dot pattern is enough to be interesting, but not too busy to detract from the tees.

Just like my larger T Shirt Quilts, the Daddy Quilt is meant to be used.  It's machine washable.  Throw it on the floor, set the baby down on it, use it in the car or stroller, at the beach,.... cover dad and baby up as they both catch some sleep in the easy chair.   I think our new dad will have plenty of time with his beautiful baby boy playing on this blanket.  I can't wait to share photos with you!

Life in the Graduation Lane

When you have a high school senior, you can expect to go to a lot of graduation parties.  You know I have made a lot of T Shirt Quilts for high school grads.  But a sweatshirt tote makes a great gift, too!

 There is no shortage of extra OSU sweatshirts where I come from....and this young lady, the co-valedictorian with my daughter, is excited to be heading to Columbus!

We enjoyed a lovely evening at her party.  I ran into one of my son's teachers there, and she asked how my summer was going.  I said it was good since my son was still intact.  Last summer he chipped his two front teeth off.  The summer before that, one week into vacation, he broke his arm very badly.  There was monkeying around at bedtime with airsoft guns and he accidentally got shot in the eye.  It was truly frightening.  We didn't take him to the ER because we ascertained that it hit the white of the eye, but we still had a very rough night.  The ophthalmologist saw him first thing in the morning and determined that he will be fine.  Still, no baseball and swimming for two weeks.  Next year, I think I will skip summer.....

Custom Oversized Beach Tote

I introduced you to my Custom Overiszed Tote recently but wanted to share with you a finished bag in a popular print!

This bag has a number of premium features, including a high quality, 8.7 ounce cotton canvas.  It has an outside pocket that is perfect for stashing a book or magazine.

Inside you'll find a convenient key clip as well as two more pockets.  One pocket is pleated so it will hold your cell phone or sun glasses.

The best part of the oversized tote is its size.  This bag is holding a twin-sized comforter and several oversized towels.

Got a gaggle of kids?  This bag will hold their towels!

There are numerous other fabrics in which I can create this bag.  Allow one week for construction prior to shipping.

The Americana Collection

Nothing says patriotic more than good old red, white and blue!  And we Americans love our denim blues! I am very excited to share a few items with a nod to the Fourth of July!

This denim oversized beach tote is mongo-sized!

I may keep one of these bags for myself since I have been using the same bag for over 10 years.  Denim is durable and the bag, as shown here, is holding a twin-sized quilt plus three large towels!

And I think even a guy can pull off this bag!  So when you are heading to the beach, even your husband, scruffy teen or little guy can carry this bag in style.

Then there's my sweet model, Annie, showing you the stars and stripes bandana headband!

Here's a simple red headband with stars.

And another bandana headband in denim blue! (The same one used in my nephew's quilt.  I have a sickness - I can't waste fabric!)