A bag and a block

The pile on the left above is some small batik blocks I've had hanging around for ages; today I decided to do another bag. Only a few more to go, and that's it. Bags for all! Unfortunately, I didn't end up using anywhere near all the batik strips I had for this bag, so I still have loads of them - perhaps the next bag will use some more of them; they do work nicely...

But the bag has come out well, I think, and will be a Christmas present for someone - not too surprising this time of year. Another case of I don't think she reads this, but why take the chance? I added a couple of charms up near the handles.

Some other things got made today - this block, which doesn't show very well in the photo - it's a lovely cream batik background and an interesting navy blue batik, but here it just looks black and white... Anyway, the block is for Anne, for the birthday block swap for November. She asked for this specific block, Spider's Den from Quilters' Cache, in this colourway. I can see why she doesn't want to make an entire quilts' worth of these herself - fiddly, especially getting the seams to work on the back. Not really that hard, just fiddly.

And I made some faces, finally. I had been waiting for an order of Sculpey/Fimo which has, I think, got lost permanently in the post - it's been in the mail for two weeks now, first class, and I figured that if having a face making session didn't make it come in the post tomorrow (!) nothing would. Some of these faces will shortly be on their way to Annie in Australia, as I promised her some ages ago. Most of the rest will probably become Christmas ornaments.

Here's a photo of my sewing room, with the Dotee angel on the wall - just thought that would be fun to share. A couple of hours after this photo was taken, it got very dark and started blowing hard enough to take pretty much all the leaves off the trees (although not off the one you see through the window, which is a holly tree - DH hates it, but it's in next-door's garden, not ours). And today's post included CPS, which I was expecting, as Julie got hers a few days ago, and...

a postcard from Anne R for the 1930's swap (King Tut's tomb discovered).

And these! These, which I did know were coming, are from Debbie in Australia (fast post, too, as she only sent them the other day) and are a set of her lovely metallic inchies, which she blogged about recently. I love them, and mentioned that in the comments, so she sent me a set. Here's where we insert that standard Kate's Blog Refrain - Aren't Bloggers Nice People? But they are - so generous with their time, methods, artwork. And I know, I give away stuff too, but it feels bigger and more important when you are on the receiving end. I will have to find a good frame for them, as they really deserve to be displayed well - I really think they are super. What a lucky girl I am - two things in two days - it's almost like it was my birthday or something :)