Exchanges

This is the purse I just finished for the International Tote Exchange II. I began with the pattern for Sophie, but mad several additions and changes. It's knitted from Lorna's Laces Bullfrogs & Butterflies. I'm very happy with how it turned out; I hope my partner likes it!

Now I have to finish a scarf I have about half-done for the Scarf Exchange. I'm liking how it's turning out, too, especially because I'm using some really nice yarn from my stash. I've had it for a while and up to now hadn't found the perfect project for it.

I guess Thing 1 was inspired when she saw me sewing in the purse lining, so she asked me to teach her to sew. We came up with this project. She drew a design on burlap and is using a plastic tapestry needle to outline her design in yarn. It's using up some of my old acrylic I had stashed away. She's being amazingly patient with this project and is doing beautiful work for her first time. She tends toward a tiny touch of OCD anyway, so sewing carefully on the lines is right up her alley.
Meanwhile, Thing 2 started soccer today. Want to have a healthy laugh? Watch a dozen or so 3-year-olds on their first day of soccer practice! She had fun, anyway.

And finally, I have to post this picture of Ruthie.
Hubby is still working on his painting project. Today he removed the child safety gate that usually separates the living room from the rest of the downstairs and he patched up the holes it made in the wall. But he still needed to keep Ruthie away when he was painting--Saint Bernards do NOT make good painting assistants. So I made this barrier with 2 empty laundry hampers. Obviously, Ruthie could go right over or through them easily, but see how good she was?