bags, turkey, more bags, birthdays, and more bags....

it's definitely crunch time in Gypsy Bird land!  thank God for this four day weekend...my mini sweat shop has been in full effect!  i've been a busy little bee, and it feels great to get some things accomplished.  but there is still alot to be done before Deluxe.  this list that's accumulating in my head (because i'm too scared to write it all down) is pretty daunting.  but it will all get done...exactly how is a mystery.....

Thanksgiving has come and gone.  i was blessed to have a wonderful day with my family.  there was so much deliciousness!  i've been seriously limiting my food intake for the past few months (trying to watch the figure), and i'm pretty sure with that one meal i nearly un-did all the stomach-shrinking-starvation i've done.  but it was totally worth it!  i have to say, i have so much to be thankful for.  even on this weekend of Thanksgiving i don't know if i've really thought about how lucky i am.  so if i may, let me tell you a few things i'm thankful for:  God's love and forgiveness; my amazing, loving, supportive family; my smart, funny, trustworthy, fabulous friends; the gift of creativity and general artsyness; a real job to pay the bills (mostly) and provide healthcare; a home for me, my kitties, and my sewing machine; and quite honestly, a million other things, but i won't go on and on.  it's just nice to take a step back and take note that despite the everyday stresses and crap that life throws at you, the big picture is pretty great. 

in other family fun time, we had a birthday party for my wonderful, brilliant, hilarious, beautiful niece today.  (too many adjectives?  i'm a big fan of descriptives tonight, apparently.)  i can't believe she is turning 2 this week!  she is just the best.  my Dad's birthday is today, although we celebrated his last week so little one could be in the spotlight today.  can't have too many celebrations! 

let me see....try to get back on track here.  yes, other than Thanksgiving, i sewed and sewed and sewed, and cut and cut and cut (fabric) this weekend.  my sweet, helpful Mom came over and help me cut out 20-something bags on Friday, and i spent Saturday and today doing the rest of the prep work and sewing!  it's all such a time-consuming process.  i'm sure there are easier ways to do things, but i've got a process and i stick to it!  oh well...i got several bags made this weekend, and plenty more to complete in the next 2 weeks!  wish me luck. 

here's a slightly clustered snapshot of some of the new bags i've done:

here's the stack of pieces that are cut out for more bags:

and a pile of even more fabrics that still need to be cut out:

i'd upload a pic of my chaotic, messy house and studio (fabric and scissors everywhere), but it's just too frightening.  plus, there's probably a layer of cat hair on everything because i haven't taken time to clean!

well, it's back to Sock land tomorrow.  blah...real work, real world.  and more deadlines this week.  but i must keep the sewing momentum.  i'm excited for a productive week.  hopefully i can wake up on time in the morning!