The weekend

I had a poopy weekend.  Not in the bathroom sense, just in the sense that nothing went right and my mood was in the crapper.  It continually got worse with just about every contact I had with people both in person or via email.  I was about ready to picket the apartment office where I live.  That kind of thing. 

Even poor Atticus didn't know what to do and just about everything he did ticked me off.  Of course his list of accomplishments includes a destroyed stuffed pumpkin that he stole and muddy footprints on my bed, but still.  I couldn't seem to shake anything off. 

The only thing that went right?  My niece's birthday present.  Her mother suggested something along the lines of a backpack, so that was my goal.

I'm discovering more and more that if I have an actual picture pattern (even if I'm the one who draws it), including dimensions, and take my time, I can make just about anything by myself.  I was going to follow someone else's pattern for this, but I didn't really like anything I saw.  So, taking a good look at my old Eastpak, and a little imagination, this is what I came up with for my niece, Eden...

I used pear fabric I got last year before Christmas....I can't remember what I used it for before.  The blue fabric is from a stash I found with my mom while yard-saleing in Pennsylvania this summer.  I think it was an old pair of polyester-blend pants.  :)  

Here's another view...

The back....

A closer look at the straps.  I thought ahead and made them slightly padded.

As always, the next step will be getting it to the post office.  It will join my brother Jonathan's present, which has been sitting in a box just inside my front door for over a week now.  It will also join my niece Emily's present, which I have yet to box up.  Both of those things I will show you another day. 

Sadly enough, I'm looking foward to work tomorrow, only so it might break up my bad mood.  Likely?  Not really.  But one can hope.

"If I can do better, should I?" ~ Jim Rohn