I promised a giveaway back in the middle of February on the day after I skipped a post. It’s a penance and appreciation gift, as well as a celebration! Because we made it through the rough part of the winter and I had a collection of pretty fabric and an idea. Because I have so much (so many books) and I love to share them. Because you all are so kind and tell me about yourselves and how you look forward to reading what I write after I mention my insecurities.
This is a giveaway open to anyone, but if you are a man, I hope you have a woman in your life who wouldn’t mind you carrying a floral bookbag. Better yet, just give it to her.
First I will show you my Addy and her petalled skirt sewed onto a chipper spring shirt. She dances and twirls through her days (and tumbles and flips). This child is all-out, fizzy and full of pop. She can handle a skirt with many colors just fine. This photo was taken during a 5 second lull.
Here is the first book bag I made, unabashedly copying one I saw in a Craftsy ad. I decided to keep this one for myself since it was experimental and the one blue stripe is a little too dark, as my sister kindly pointed out when I asked her if it seemed odd. It needed wider straps too, to match the strips on the bag. These small anomalies are not a problem with 3 little bag ladies in the house. “Yook, it’s camofyaged with my dress!” (I will mourn the day the child learns to say “l”.)
Then I made a small carry tote for Olivia to carry her Bible and Sunday school book, pencils and tissues, etc. to church. And an even smaller squat bag that Rita uses for treasures and bags of apple snitzes she likes to have on hand to sustain her in case she gets hungry. I am down to the last strips of these fabric patterns. There is enough to make something small and cutesy for a doll. The projects were so much fun that I neglected a lot of other things just to work on them. I hope we get to sew in heaven.
In the photo below Olivia holds the one I made expressly to give away. As you can see, it has the wider straps and when you sling it over your shoulder, it fits precisely under your arm at the side unless you are not grown up. Then it hangs down lower and you can dig in it while the strap is still over your shoulder. Inside it I sewed a special pocket so that you don’t lose your cell phone in the bowels of the bag while you are at the library. There is space for keys and a library card too. I am naming it Sprightly Spring Satchel.
As you can see, this particular bag will be stuffed with some goodies. I am just delighted to share some of the books I have collected from Usborne, those wonderful publishers of children’s literature. I will show you three books that will be in it for your enjoyment, but there will be a surprise title or two, depending on the interests of the person who wins.
Would you or someone short and cute in your life like to own these books? All you have to do to qualify for the drawing is comment one sentence describing your favorite place in the world. If you want to write an essay length comment with many sentences, great! But you don’t have to. If you feel shy about posting your real name, you can make up a pseudonym. But you can’t be anonymous. Just don’t forget what you called yourself! Anyone living outside the U.S. can enter the drawing as long as they have an address of someone in the lower 48 to whom I can send a package should they win.
The drawing will close on Saturday, the 19th of March, at noon. Let’s hear from you, my friends!
wocket in my pocket 
Aww, my boys would love these books! My favorite place in the whole world would be if my little family would be seated around my parents table with the rest of the family around there. 🙂 And yes, I have an address in the states to ship to if I win. 🙂
Places began running through my mind . . . England, Scotland, Rocky Mountains, hmmm? Then I remembered that the one place I always am eager to be is home.
That’s a tough question! Quite obviously I would want my husband and little man with me, but I would love to travel the world….stopping first in Bangladesh. We fell in love with the people there and dream of going back someday. Otherwise, I would love to visit my folks in PA! 😉
I don’t know if I love the fact that there ate books in the bag or a bag holding books?! It’s such a creative idea!!!
My favorite place in the world is home. Sometimes home is at my parents house and all my siblings are there. Sometimes it’s in Haiti with our little family and these people we love surrounding us.
One of my favorite place in the whole world is upstairs in my room. Sitting in my old fashion high backed chair right next to the opened window with the biggest softest blanket you’ve ever seen, sipping a piping hot cup of coffee (with cream of course) and reading from my huge collection of books.
Being a bit of an introvert.. I would have to say my favorite place is with my husband and at home. 🙂 Also, I love being with family and friends in a warm place , as long as I can go home to recharge before to terribly long! lol Oh dear, I sound like a recluse. I do love to visit other countries and places.
Just one favorite place? Is that even possible? 🙂
When there’s the allure of the redbuds and dogwoods in bloom on a spring day in the Ozarks? Or how about the thrill of the open road on a clear blue sky day in the wide western spaces? Or a quiet wooded spot in the gorgeous autumn of the Allegheny Mountains? And who could resist the balmy air and sunshine of a Florida winter?
I’ve often been asked of the places I’ve lived; which is my favorite. I used to say I could never pick just one. Now I say it’s by the side of my husband, wherever that may be. 😊
Ok, I’m afraid I’m going to be repetitious but as I consider the places I’ve been and all the places I would love to go, I guess I have to say that my favorite place is HOME!
I see pictures world traveling people take and post on Facebook and it’s all rather appealing but if you’re going to ask for my absolute favorite? Hands down, it’s cradled in my husband’s arms at the end of the day. It’s there I think over my day, share the frustrating or funny bits with him and all gets set right in my world.
I can’t imagine a better giveaway than a cheery bag filled with books! Or is it cheery books in a snazzy bag? Either way, two things I cannot live without!
As for my favorite place, as one who is learning to embrace this nomadic life that is ours, my favorite place is not a location so much as it is an environment. My beloved husband and six unpredictable kids together in one space, doing life together and finding joy in every step of the journey! This is my life, and I love it.
My favorite place is definitely at a warm and sunny beach with my family.
My five year old daughter saw these pictures and is drooling over the bag and the books!
-Jenn
My favorite place in “de whole wide world” is : snuggled up with my man at the end of the day, kiddos fast asleep. It’s where I feel the safest and most loved.
My Alexei-who-is-three says, “I want dat train book!” I unabashedly hope to win! And now I must go corral the Alexei-who-is-three because he is helping himself to a snack.
PS- Your kids are charming!
What a gorgeous giveaway! My favorite place would be out of this world….in Heaven where our family would be together again with my Jesus . Since that’s not possible right now, I’ll say out in the mountains with the freshest alpine breezes and the sun setting behind the Rockies, hot coffee and dark chocolate in hand and my two loves beside me:)
Home is where my heart is..The older I get the more I love it !
My favorite place in the world is anywhere where the weather stays between 70 and 90 degrees YEAR ROUND.
Home! After enjoying a short Anniversary get away, it’s so nice to be home. Also… good thrift stores!!!!!!
Aside from my own home (which I make with my husband & three children) one of my other absolute favorite spots in the world is the home where I grew up…where my parents are still making a place to return to and feel welcomed and loved! Oh, yes…and the library!!! Definitely a favorite destination…especially as it’s housed in an old mansion and is the same one I’ve been going to my whole life! I am pretty sure the lovely book bag would feel right at home there, riding on my shoulder! 😉
My favorite place is in the woods camping with our family. A lot of our camping has been done only a mile from the house. On our own hunting property. Though we like state parks (that are not infested with skunks) we can’t always get away. But we can camp close home!
Before I read the other comments, I was going to write about being in my husband’s arms, since that is a no-brainer if we are really talking about favorite places in the world. However, I will try to be exotic. 🙂 Of all the countries I have been to, Spain is my favorite. One day when I was out wandering, I found a tiny bench high up on a rugged cliff overlooking the bay in Palamos, and I just sat alone, watching the ships. For some reason I think of that day very often.
I like that you designed the bag yourself; that’s impressive!
My favorite place to be is with those I love. Most of the time that is at home but it also is with my dad and siblings when we gather,at my place of work which is our son and families business.
Right now alittle alone time, somewhere, with my husband would sound wonderful……..
My favorite place in the world is HOME. Which happens to be wherever my little family is. As every missionary knows, the saying, ” home is everywhere and home is no where” is part of the bi-cultural experience. But what a sweet blessing that no matter where we are, we always have TOGETHER and we always have LOVE. And that makes home.
I’ve been thinking about this for days. . . I always settle back to the Middle East. One of the most intriguing places I’ve ever been to and a place I will always hold in my heart.
well… to be out of the box a little, I want to go to Italy. The history there intrigues me. But I can’t say its a favorite yet because I have yet to go! I do love any vacation… a little get-away from normal life with my little family, and absorb the recharging. And sometimes my favorite place is when I sneak off to a coffee shop early on a Saturday morning by.my.self. while my husband and babies sleep. I read, journal, and happily sacrifice the sleep because I am recharging! So perhaps my favorite place is to recharge, wherever!
You pose a tough question! I’ll just have to pick one, since I can’t decide, but one of my favorite places in the world is the little spot of grass in the middle of the bustling downtown of Winston Salem, next to a crumbling brick wall. It’s just right for setting up a picnic on, and making all the passers-by jealous. Also, it’s right around the corner from the greatest coffee shop/bakery, so you don’t have to pack dessert into your picnic basket.
“Home” is quite popular and I have to agree but other than that? It’s a hard question. My next favorite place has to be my sister’s house or maybe a vacation in a cabin in the woods with my own little family. I’ve always dreamed of visiting Ireland but I don’t see that happening for many years. Other random favorites? Red Lobster, coffee shops, garage sales… 🙂
Either our town’s library or bookstore. Probably leaning towards the bookstore as #1 because it smells like coffee 😉
One of my favorite places to be is at my sewing machine. (I echo your hope that we’ll get to sew in heaven!) Another of my happy places is under the wide open sky of my native Kansas. And it goes without saying that home and in my beloved’s arms are right up there at the top too.
Like many others my favorite place is at home with my family. And at my sewing machine! And reading your blog with a cup of coffee. Keep writing!!
Because I’ve been spinning in my own loop of life, I did completely forget to enter this giveaway. My favorite place in the whole world is wrapped in my husbands arms, but since I suspect others to say the same thing, I will add how much I love ” the west” and hope to travel there many times in my lifetime, and maybe live there too:)
Such a hard question to answer! On the one hand, my favorite place is at home with my husband and children around me, or wherever my family’s next reunion is ( this year it’s in Colorado ) and I get to spend time with my parents and siblings and nieces and nephews and catch up with everyone. But I also love traveling and have so very many places I still want to visit some day, Europe, Israel, the list could go on and on and on. And yet the state of PA has some pretty awesome spots as well. I love, love, love to read and our children are inheriting that love too, so that means many trips to the library, and that really cool bag would get put to very good use. And the children would love the books too!
Sitting in my kitchen in the early morning before the children are up. Looking out at the little pond across the street and drinking a cup of coffee. Keep up the writing. I love to read your blog.