I Heart the 80's Swap - Done!

Hi!  Thanks for stopping by again!  For those that knew, I am over my homesickness now.  I go through spurts!  I had a very interesting and difficult experience recently that just frayed my mind.  I have emerged a wiser and stronger woman from it!

Which leads me to this post today.  I joined another swap on Flickr and this time it's theme was loving the 80's!  I, er hm...finished school and started working and moved out on my own and just had a blast!

So, where lots of the stuff that a lot of the ladies on Flickr remember, made no sense to me.  My thing back then was not just working and paying the rent and the car payment and utilities but...MUSIC!!!  I stressed this fact in my profile and can not wait to see what I get!

I got an American for my partner this time around!  She lives about 2 hours from where I grew up so it was nice for me as I know the city!

However, I found this round so very challenging.  I can't really say too much in case she comes by my blog and figures it out; and I just mailed out the package yesterday, so it will be a surprise for her;  but from her list of things that she would love I chose a tote bag.  I have never made a tote bag.  It is rather small but hopefully she will love it and use it!

Here are some pictures of the process:

First off, this was on the way to my very first concert.  It was Culture Club!  That is Stan on my right and on my left is my dear, dear friend Lance or popularly known today as DJ LANCE ROCK from YO GABBA GABBA!  He is a celebrity!  Yay!  The kids and I got to visit with him last summer.  Love this man.

For anyone that cares, this was BEFORE Islam.

I found a simple tote bag pattern here.

By the way, does anyone know how to post a link easier than what I am doing?  I have to copy my link an post it in the blog and then click the link and it won't let me right click and paste.  I have to type it in myself and then go back and erase it from this page.  There has to be an easier way!

My partner wanted a Pac Man totebag.  Here I am working out how big to make these little guys and how many.

 

She said she liked sewing fabric and I hope she likes this one.

I made my straps.

WARNING:  Peachy found a resting place in the fabric and on the bag just to the right.

I made a mistake so I had to rip it out.  I can't remember now what I did??  Oh yeah, I had to unpick the side of the bag so I could applique easier.

My skills are growing and I had the sense to use interfacing for the applique. 

I remembered my label!  Yes!

Here the lining is sewn in and I am about to push it back in the tote.

A little sneak of Mr. Pac Man after a ghost!

I think the lining makes a huge aesthetic difference in this tote.

Aw, I like my little ghosty.

Here is the completed tote; a magnet from Oman; a postcard from Oman and a matching tissue case. 

Here it is all folded up nicely and ready to go.  Please let it get all the way to the USA without any harm!!

Thanks for stopping by.

We have a BBQ that we were invited to tonight so I am making American style Potato Salad and a Maltese dessert I got from a friend when we lived in Saudi Arabia.  It consists of cookies like our American graham crackers, cream, coffee, and more cream I think!  Oh, chocolate and nuts too.  Hey, I will make a post of that!