Happy December!!!!

I can't believe December is here already. I'm going to try and take some deep breaths and enjoy the beauty and ignore the crazy? How about you?

This video helps…

Improv Anywhere is genius. I love what they do. I posted this video last year (love love it!). It is still my holiday fav from them. Teresa

Russian Bag Lady!

Good morning, Teresa,

recently I have received your bag № 17529. I found your idea great and decided to sew bags too. I have already sewed four bags. You can see them on my picture. I bought the fabric for my bags in a second-hand-store. I'm sure, the fabric must be original, beautiful and modern in order that people really wish to use the bags.
I'll present my bags to my relatives and friends at Christmas.

Regards,
Ludmilla Zajkova
*************************************************************
These bags are wonderful Ludmilla! Keep it up! Teresa

More bags…

I am really liking these bags from STOPstart and think they would be great Christmas gifts! Everyone can use more bags!

STOPstart (STOP the trafficking; start a new life) is a "spin off" business from Hagar International of Cambodia. Hagar International is an "aftercare" agency for women rescued out of sexual trafficking and extreme abuse. Their vocational program in sewing grew into a business producing textile products under the Hagar Design label. In August 2009, it became a fully independent business as STOPstart Enterprises, maintaining the same focus on employing women from Hagar’s Shelter program.


These reasonably prices bags can be found HERE. Let me know if you get one! Teresa

I am quite smitten…

with this lamp…

made from recycled cardboard. You can buy one here (yikes on the price!). But go ahead, make one! This would go great with Bagette Dad's other cardboard furniture! Teresa

Australian Bag Lady!

Sorry I can not take foto at the moment of me with my bag, but am home alone. Still have to work out WHERE to place handles so it fits my chair better than this. The other is a flash version I made for a grand daughter for swimming & have lined it with a piece of shower curtain to make it waterproof.   Guess what everyone is getting now for Christmas from me with this embroidered on them????


Milena
Klemzig, AUSTRALIA bag #15769


*************************************************
I like that Milena added a lining to the bag above AND that she is making them as Christmas gifts. Wonderful!!! Teresa

Great Ad!

Now, if everyone would just stop drinking bottled water…Thanks Bagette Kathleen for sending the link! Teresa

Celebrate Small Business Saturday with Stitch Simple

Have you heard of Black Friday?  The day after Thanksgiving which is legend to be the biggest shopping day in America?  What about Small Business Saturday?  

American Express (who are the folks behind Small Business Saturday), are also offering a $25 statement credit for registered cardmembers who spend at least $25 at a qualified small business like Stitch Simple on 11/26.  WOAH!  Think about that.... a BIG bank giving you a $25 credit for spending $25.  I'd call that a no brainer!  As you would expect there are some fine print details --  here are links for more info- General Info (http://www.smallbusinesssaturday.com/).  Card Registration (https://sync.americanexpress.com/sbs2011).

Stitch Simple is a qualified small business and to celebrate and encourage you to take advantage of this incredible deal they are offering special products as well as FREE U.S. Shipping.

The Green Bag Lady Fat Quarter set (above) is one of these special products.  It's comprised of 10 Fat Quarters -- $30.96 value but from 11/26-12/2/11 it's yours for just $25!  A great deal!  

If you register your Amex card and use it for this order, you will automatically get the $25 credit for shopping a registered small business (Stitch Simple) on 11/26.  Pretty cool, eh?

This fun and funky pack of cotton prints was selected by yours truly for all your gifting needs! Whip up some cute clutches, pretty purses or darling dish towels in no time flat with all these fun options. There's something for the cute cousin, the stylish sister and the awesome aunt!

Here's a easy link to get in on the action.  To see the other special deals (including a Harmony fat quarter pack) click here.


Happy Sewing! Teresa

Happy Thanksgiving!

I didn't post earlier because I was a tad bit busy making…

fruit pies and crostadas, big and small…

a free-range hormone/antibiotic-free turkey (even though I'm a vegetarian, I want to make sure my family gets the best, I'm told it was delish!)

 my special vegan mushroom mushroom gravy (truly the best, even the carnivores love it!)…

 pumpkin pie, this was the best I've ever had…

 Big Girl and Little Girl made cute turkey mini pumpkin pies that turned out…

 like this (idea here)…

we also made turkey cookie pops as place holders (idea here) and Little Girl made the cutest name tags for all our guests (22!) this one says Peace, Love and Turkey…

 this one says I'm stuffed and the turkey is lying down with his hands on his belly (my personal fav)…

 and it wouldn't be T-day without a singing turkey, now would it?

 Kids table, aren't they all adorable?

 Adult table (aren't they adorable too?)…

I hope you had a wonderful and bountiful Thanksgiving at your house! Hugs to all of you! Teresa

From Bagette Connie…

Hi Teresa,

 

Here is the pic of Bella the Service Dog enjoying a nap on her new Scrappy Nappy pet bed beside her owner's loom.  Sorry that it isn't a better photo.

 

Happiest of Thanksgivings to you and your family!  See you Sunday.........

 

Love,

Connie

(Connie is a also a weaver and in the Weaver's Guild here in Nashville. She took this pet bed to one of her fellow weavers. Thanks Connie!) Teresa

Cool Tunes!

Truly for the person that has everything. Devin Ward of Los Angeles takes vintage radios and revitalizes them with new circuitry and wiring into new ones that can connect to your iPod or mp3 player. Rad!

I heart them. New life for old stuff! Teresa

via CMYBacon

Cool bags!

Great bags made from candy wrappers, pull tabs, etc. Yes!

All found on Ecoist. The Dove Chocolates purse is my fav! And, they are Fair Trade too! Teresa

I heart reusing…

Here are some ideas to reuse everyday objects into something unexpected…

Oars and old doors as head boards. More HERE.

Wine bottles as planters, so pretty…

Old rake as wine glass holder…

Old luggage into furniture! So nice, more HERE.

How is that for loveliness for today? Have a great week! Teresa

Most links via Recyclart.

Sometimes…

…you need to take a break from sewing bags and make some jammies for your favorite Little Man…

Now I need to make some for Little Girl! Hope you are having a good weekend and giving your sewing machine a workout! Teresa

Russia Bag!

Good morning, Teresa and David,

thank you for your wonderful bag! Today I have received it and I have already gone shopping, with my new bag of course. It's really very practical and handy.
On the picture you can see me with my new bag.

Regards.
Ludmilla Zajkova
Tyumen Russia

Ling-Yen Jewelry Organic '11 WINNERS!

Congratulations to the following lucky folks…

Winners of the lovely pendants from Ling-Yen are:

Laurie Mooers, MA
Kathleen Cronin, APO
Jane Seck, CA
Joanne Cherpack, TN

ALSO, entrants who do NOT have a Green Bag Lady bag will get one.

Please look for an email from Bagette Dad. He will be asking for your mailing address so we can send you your prize. PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER. We have issues with emails going to spam. Thanks and enjoy!

The emails will look like this:
Green Bag Lady, LingYenJewelry_11_2011

Ling-Yen Jewelry Organic '11 Freebie!

Let's squeak in a few more Organic '11 Freebies before December flies by, shall we? How about some lovely pendants from the incomparable Ling-Yen Jones. I heart Ling-Yen, not only is her art stunning and wearable, but she is absolutely a hoot. To hang out with Ling-Yen is to laugh uncontrollably. Wish I lived closer to her. Sigh. If I did live closer, I would go see her wonderful jewelry in person and one of her upcoming events.

But, look at these beauties. Perfect for December gift giving or December festivity wearing should you find yourself in a position that you A) win one and B) simply cannot part with such loveliness.

Up for grabs in this freebie are the 4 pendants pictured above. And, shopping bags to anyone that enters and does not already have one. Yippee!

To enter this freebie and win a stunning handmade pendant made of abalone shell and sterling silver simply do the following:

•LEAVE A COMMENT, IN THE COMMENT LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THIS FORMAT: name(at)something(dot)com it is important to spell out dot and at so you don't get spam, if you DO NOT leave an email address, you will not be entered in the freebie.

•In your comment tell us which of Ling-Yen's designs is your favorite.

•DEADLINE FOR THE FREEBIE IS 10 PM(CST) Thursday, November 17, 2011. (winners announced Nov 18)

•4 lucky people will be chosen from the comments to win one of the Ling-Yen pendants. BUT, if you enter and do not already have a shopping bag from us, you will automatically win one!

Don't forget to leave us your email! 

Thanks for entering and thank you Ling-Yen for being so awesome! Hey, while you are at it, go like Ling-Yen Designs on Facebook HERE! Give her some Facebook love!!! Teresa

International entries are welcome.

New to Green Bag Lady? Click HERE.
Like Green Bag Lady on Facebook HERE.

Cool Vase…

Vase that holds your used plastic drink bottle and makes it useful! Yup. Personally, I'd take the label off the bottle. Just sayin.' More info HERE. Teresa

Email from Adry in Argentina…

Hi,

Last week,  I was on a short hollidays in the coast of my country. I saw this and I'd  show you.

"Fisher dreams" ...of  a less dirty environment

Sculpture made ​​entirely from waste materials collected on the beaches of Mar Chiquita. June 5, 2011, World Environment Day. author: "Maraña gestual" group.

Hugs, 

Adry

*****************************************************************

Thanks Adry, speaking of beach trash, Captain Charles Moore has a new book out…

Harmony just sent me a copy, looking forward to reading it! Happy Monday! Teresa

Quite cool!

African house made of bottles and dirt. Yes! And, it looks cool too! Read all about it HERE. Thanks to Harmony and her sister-in-law Wendy for passing along. Teresa

Minnesota Bags!

Hi Teresa!  I hope all is well and that it isn’t yet too chilly in your neck of the woods.  I know the days of this lovely mild autumn are numbered so I’m trying to be outside as much as possible before winter officially settles in on the tundra.

I wanted to write you to finally share a pic of my Sewing 1 students from the SW Minneapolis Community Ed Program and their Green Bag Lady inspired bags (after I met you and learned about your project, I modified my lesson plans to use fabric shopping bags as an excuse for students to learn sewing fundamentals like overcasting and French seams).  They all agreed it was OK to post this on your blog if you would like to.  From left to right you will see:  Mallory, Laura, Yig, Mari and Heather.

I hope you enjoy the pic and the weekend ahead. 

Jen Madsen

Stitch Simple

www.stitchsimple.com

Dear Mother Earth…

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

Dear Mother Earth--

You are amazing over and over and over again.

Birds totally rock.

Your friend in awe--

Teresa

via designmom

More Halloween…

Remember this post? I made the dinosaur hatching out of the egg costume for my friend Amy's baby. Here is how it looked on the big day…

I mean, really, how cute is that little lady and her big brother???? Teresa

Russia Bag!

Dear, David VanHatten - Bagette Dad

Thank you! I got the bag! send you the photo. we now have a cold, they all wear warm clothing. I take the bag to the store to shop. Very handy, thank you!


Elmira--Izhevsk,RUSSIA #16868

Go enter!

Go enter Sew Mama Sew's Handmade Holidays Week #2. Included in the astonishing 35 prizes awarded this week are 2 sets of gift wrap bags from yours truly. Enter HERE at Sew Mama Sew, not on this post! :) Good luck! Teresa