craftgrrl | Pay it Forward - Giveaway Number Three

This is the last gift I made for the Pay it Forward Giveaway, a quilted round tote bag about 16 inches across of my own design :

So, a note about Pay it Forward. After I’d received the answers to my questions (which were trying to determine what my "winners" would like to receive), I started to really think about Pay it Forward as a concept. I realized that Pay it Forward wasn't about getting something, it wasn't even about giving something. It's a way to thank the Universe (in my personal ethos) for the good in your life that you have already received.

What was interesting, was how the process of making these gifts became so meaningful to me. As I made each gift, I thought about all that I had that was good in my life, all that I had to be thankful for. Consquently, during those hours when I made these gifts I was filled with joy and thankfulness. As if THAT wasn't great enough, because I was making things I had never made before, I developed new skills and new knowledge.

Truthfully, giving these gifts gave me more than I could ever imagine. So I want to thank everyone who has participated in this project, and will participate in this project. You have given me a priceless gift.

Now, for the rest of the current gift:

A pic of the bow at the side:

Which I made removable in case the giftee wanted to remove it. In making one for myself, I'll sew it down.

In this construction pic (I'm doing a tutorial on this bag on my blog) you can get a close up view of the outer fabric, which I loved - a linen/cotton blend blue toile with scenes of lords and ladies courting. L'amour, l'amour!

I lined it with the aforementioned navy blue silk taffetta:

And quilted it with one of my new quilting patterns that I'm trying

that remind me of spirographs (anyone else remember that 70's toy?)

So, that's it! Later this week, I'm going to do a tutorial on my blog and then, my Pay it Forward saga will have come to an end.

However, the lessons learned, have not. So, to all of you have read this long post, I give this gentle reminder: try not to focus on what you don't have in your life, be thankful for what good you do have, and remember to Pay it Forward.

*fin*