Gift Bag

It was Diane Knott that came up with the idea of using a brown envelope with the top cut off to make a handy gift bag - www.dianeknottsmusings.blogspot.com. I have a very good friend on my street who is from Michigan and she had to leave and go home early. She is one of my biggest fans and is always bringing her friends and/or visitors down to see my wallhangings, purses, etc. or what I am currently working on. Her name is Martha and the day before she was leaving I thought I should give her one of my little birds to hang in her kitchen or somewhere. Then I thought I should have made her a bag so I very quickly put one together. I added a page of music along with tatting along the top edge and a pice of lace at the bottom. Then I dyed the flowers of a small piece of trim and glued over that. I had some vintage purple flowers that I glued on and then a small tag with her initial M on it. I used ribbon for the handle and stapled it to the bag. I was just stapling when she rang my doorbell. I filled the top part of the bag with the brown crinkled cut up paper and tucked the bird inside. She was so pleased with it and was out the door before I thought I should have taken a picture. I called and she came back. As usual I took a couple and then thought about the background so had her hold it up and took another one. That turned out great but very blurry. So back to one of the other two. I cropped as much as I could out of it but you will get the idea of the bag.

I want to make a few more for friends and neighbours for May Day and put a couple of flowers in vials in them, except most of my neighbours are leaving this week or next. We will be going the 8th. of May. Go to Dianes blog as she is an artist and has the most beautiful ideas that she freely shares with all of us. She is a designer of fabrics for some of you quilters who may know her name.