Monsters and Pin-Back Buttons

It was back in March that the Monster Pouch Swap ended on Craftster; I sent packages to two partners.

This one went to CraftyMamaBee.  In case you couldn't tell, she loves pink, and cupcakes!  I made this girly monster to fit her Kindle Fire.  I also included a lavender sachet with a scripture quote, because she likes both lavender and scripture, and a piece of fabric with cupcakes on it.

I made a pin-back button for the monster to wear:

I had a second, unofficial partner, Photochris.  She hadn't been a member of Craftster long enough to be eligible for the swap, but when she sent me a message inquiring about it, I was interested in her as a person (she is German, but living in Russia with her husband and children, and has recently spend four years in New Jersey!) that I wanted to do this swap with her as a personal swap.  I sent her a package similar to CraftyMamaBee's--the pouch was the same size and style, in colors she likes, and with a slightly different monster face (I guess a third eye is only slightly different, if you're a  monster!)  I also included a tissue cover with tissues, and a piece of scissors-print fabric.

Her monster also wore a pin (it's either "his" girlfriend or "her" boyfriend...I'm not sure if this monster is a girl or a boy...)

Here's a group shot (below) with the first monster pouch I made in the middle.  After making it I realized that the teeth were wool felt, and CraftyMamaBee is allergic to wool!!  So I made the pink one for her, and used the gray one in my Seven Days of Giveaways in March.

The cupcake monster arrived at her new home in California on March 8th, a few days after I sent out both packages.  But--the blue monster IS STILL IN TRANSIT!!  Yes, that's right, today is May 4th, and still no sign of it.  Apparently, mail to Russia moves slower than a snail's pace.  I received my package from Photochris about a week after it was mailed--but she mailed it from Germany, where she was visiting her parents.  I haven't given up on it though; maybe she will get it for a Christmas present!

 And now, a gratuitous repeat of the picture of the pin-back buttons I made for all the bloggers who gathered for Craft Gossip's Fork and Talk luncheon in Little Rock two weeks ago.  It came to my attention that the quilting editor, Scarlett, ran a short post about these buttons yesterday!  So if you are visiting my blog from that Craft Gossip post, welcome!  You can read my post about making these buttons here.

Hmm, that gets me to thinking...maybe I should do a button giveaway sometime?

Eyeglasses Cases

The last pair of sunglasses I bought came with a horrid vinyl drawstring case.  I promptly threw it away.  Later, when I flew to Arkansas to visit my mom, I put the sunglasses in my carry-on bag; unbeknowst to me, my nail file was right next to the glasses.  Emerging from the airport several hours later, I put on my sunglasses, and wondered what was wrong with that left lens...yeah, the nail file had rubbed against the lens the whole time, and the sunglasses were ruined.

That won't happen to me again, because I have vowed to always carry my sunglasses in a case from now on!  When this package of fabric arrived last week (from Sew Mama Sew) I knew that some of it would be perfect for glasses cases.

I made up my own pattern.  It's just two pieces, the body of the case, and the flap.  In this picture you can see the outside of the case on the left, and the inside on the right. 

The button is just for decoration, since the flap stays closed with velcro.

I will keep one for myself, and take the rest of them to the store where I sell my work.

Problem solved.  Yay!