It's Official ... I am a Procrastinator

OK ... so remember way back in September, when I posted about this really fun fabric and the plans that I had for it? And remember also when I posted a sneak peek of the almost-finished final product like a month later?

Well ... I am here to tell you that today - 4 months later - I'm done. I would be lying if I told you that it took me every bit of those 4 months to put the finishing touches on ... in reality, it just took some searching for the right kind of clasps and about 5 minutes of sewing. I got the clasps well over a month ago, and I finally sat down for the 5-minute sewing session this weekend. I think it's safe to say that I have a procrastination problem ... that, or a time-management problem. Either one is disturbing.

Ann ... if you are reading this, I plan to put your laptop case in the mail this week! Finally! Hope you like it!!

Here it is!
It has two short handles and a detachable shoulder strap (thus my need to find clasps!).
Besides the big, roomy zipper-compartment for the laptop, it also has a pocket for papers on the outside and another zip pocket for cords, etc...
Oh, and the little ribbon bow is detachable. Just a fun little girly addition.

A close-up of the inside. Polka dots everywhere!
You can't really tell, but I definitely finished ALL the seams, so that there are no raw edges showing. It took a LOT of sewing to do this, but I think it was worth it.

Here's a close-up of the outside pocket and zip pouch.
Don't you just LOVE this fabric?

My New Favorite Purse

I never win anything. I mean never. I am just not what one would call "lucky." (Of course, I don't believe in luck. I believe in the Lord's providence. But, that's a whole different conversation ... for another day) Today, let's talk about the fact that whenever there is a contest involved, I end up losing. Don't get me wrong ... I'm not bitter about it. Really, I'm not. I just - over time - have come to accept the fact that I don't win things.

But, I haven't let my long-standing track record of losing stop me from trying ... which is why, when one of my favorite blogs announced a fun giveaway, I entered. "You have to be in it to win it," right? I read about all the fun stuff Linda was giving away, and about how she was going to draw 5 lucky winners from her comments. "Wow!" I thought ... 5 winners ... that means 5 chances to lose ... um, i mean win. (Think positive, Sara!) So, I added a comment and went about my day. A couple of days later, I got an email from Linda saying that not only had she drawn my name as a winner, but i would have first pick of all the items! I honestly didn't know what to do with myself. It was like my whole world-view was crumbling. Could I really be a winner??!!?? What do winners do when they win things? Should I have prepared an acceptance speech? Do I need to thank anyone? Are you sure you didn't mean the OTHER Sara who entered? You couldn't possibly mean me ... could you??

After a lot of jumping up and down squealing in my office, I composed myself and wrote a brief reply asking for the "lotus bag" because it was made from some of my very favorite Amy Butler fabric. I thanked her profusely for her generosity and waited patiently while the United States Postal Service transported my bag all the way from Texas. It arrived about a week later, and it has been attached to my arm ever since. I might have had to surgically remove it to take the following pictures...

Isn't it awesome??!!??
It's this fun tangerine-ish color, on an ecru background.
It's nice and big, with a roomy inside to fit all my junk.
And the shape ... isn't it fun??

Look at the fun polka-dots on the inside. makes me smile.

Linda even included a matching fabric envelope thingy to hold random stuff in.
Isn't that nice??

The only problem is that I'm running out of outfits that match it, since my wardrobe is primarily made up of black or red items. Maybe this is a good excuse to go shopping! :o)

THANKS, Linda!

Um ... what??

Paula Abdul made this comment last night after one of the American Idol contestants sang an amazing rendition of John Lennon's "Imagine" :

I want to squish you and squeeze your head off and dangle you from my rear-view mirror.

So, is that a compliment??

Quote of the Day

My brother Scottie very graciously brought me lunch at my office today. Isn't he awesome? Every girl should have an older brother like him. Seriously. Anyway ... because I rarely see him without his children running around screaming, pulling at his coat-tails and begging him to play Wii, it was a real treat to sit down over some yummy food and have an actual conversation with him. We talked about work and family and things going on in our lives. We talked about how sad we were that the Packers aren't going to the Superbowl and debated whether Favre would retire or come back for another season. Everything was really very pleasant. Then ... for no apparent reason, my brother (otherwise referred to as "Mr. Doom & Gloom" for the rest of the post) started telling me about all this information he had read about some island off the west coast of Africa that is slipping into the sea, and how one earthquake in the region could send a "mega-tsunami" across the Atlantic Ocean which would wipe out the entire Eastern seaboard. Seriously??!!?? Mr. Doom & Gloom proceeded to tell me all about the science behind a mega-tsunami and why it is a troubling possibility in the future. He used details ... I mean, there were graphs and diagrams involved. Encyclopedia Brittanica should seriously consider hiring him. As I sat there wondering why I needed to know this information, and how it could possibly help my already freakish tendency to worry about the littlest thing, Mr. D&G offers a word of encouragement ... He says that we really don't need to worry about the mega-tsunami, because what will more probably wipe out the entire human race would be what is called a "super-volcano," like the one under YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK!!! What??!!?? When I asked him for more information on the super-volcano, his reply was

"Well, I don't really understand super-volcanoes as well as I understand mega-tsunamis ..."